Looking ahead, step by step

Not only am I excited about the New Year and all the possibilities it brings, I’m still excited from the fantastic kick-off party we had to launch Livnot, our campaign to build our future home. I am extremely grateful to everyone who organized and set up the event to make it such a great success — thanks to all of you. While the kick-off party was wonderful, what will be even better will be the dedication party when we move into our new home. There are, however, a few steps we’ll have to take between now and then. I’m asking here and now for all congregants to take those steps together so that we can build our future together.

When we first started thinking about this project, we surveyed the congregation and about 95 percent of members agreed it was time for us to have our own building. It’s amazing that we can have such overwhelming agreement on what our future should hold. If we have the same 95 percent giving level as we have agreement that we need a new building, then we will have no problem in achieving our dreams. Sometimes we’re tempted to rely on “the other guy” to take care of things that need to be done. But in a small congregation like ours, each of us individually is “the other guy.” You rely on me, I rely on you, all y’all rely on each other. No one is going to do this for us. We have to do it for ourselves. We can build the home of our dreams if each of us donates generously to the best of his or her capabilities. Our future is in our own hands. Knowing how caring this Community of Friends is, I’m confident that our future is bright and it includes our new home.